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Besiegers of Colchester
(1648)The siege of Colchester was one of the most severe of the Civil War, and lasted from 14 June to 28 August 1648. Kent and Essex Royalists on their way into Norfolk and Suffolk turned aside into Colchester, hoping to get recruits there. Fairfax pursued from his headquarters in London, and when on 12 June he appeared with 5,000 men they were obliged to make hasty preparations for defence. The town was ill-fitted to stand a siege, and the 4,000 Royalist troops were most of them newly levied and ill-armed, but after a repulse on 14 June 14, Fairfax realized that a long siege was inevitable, and busied himself with raising forts to completely isolate the town. On 2 July the work of circumvallation was finished, and though meeting with fierce resistance, Fairfax gained post after post. Early in August famine added to the misery of the besieged, and the citizens began to clamour for surrender. On 19 August, Norwich, the Royalist leader, asked for terms; negotiations went on for some days, and finally on 28 August, Fairfax occupied the town. Three of the Royalist leaders were shot, and the soldiers were sent to labour in the West Indies, or to enforced military service under the Venetian Republic. The townsmen were made to pay a heavy fine.
These accounts list disbursements to workmen digging the fortifications and to artificers, soldiers and officers involved in the siege. The total sum paid was about £1,695.